Driving from LA to Camelback

Writing this post from the road on the 10 West as I head back to Dodger Stadium for a week or work in Los Angeles following two weeks at Camelback Ranch. Don’t worry, I’m in the passenger seat…

Pretty amazing that as we head home, we’re in the middle of the desert and yet, there are snow capped mountains literally just off the freeway to the South.

Making this drive made me think of just how easy it is to get to Dodgers’ Spring Training and how cool it is that we’re now so close to home. There’s definitely things that I miss about Dodgertown but overall, it’s really been an extremely wise decision to move to Arizona.

As games start to ramp up, hopefully you are all making your plans to come out to see the team before it heads back to Los Angeles. Great seats are available almost every game and the access to the team is unparalleled. And if you haven’t seen the campus, you’re bound to be impressed by it.

I’ll continue to post from Los Angeles as we prepare for Opening Day, the first weekend against the Giants and all the other things going on back on the West Coast.

47 Comments

I do appreciate the job you do Josh. I know its yours to remain upbeat and positive and to try and get people to come out to support the team. Its just that I envision you as one of the stokers down in the bowels of the Titanic trying to keep the boilers going even though you know the ship’s sinking.

As for 90% of the rest of us, we’re actually looking forward to the band playing Nearer My God To Thee.

Looks like we don’t have to worry about Elbert making the team. Too bad that he has good stuff and just can’t ever seem to show it.
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How is it in spring training SPRING TRAINING that you can’t throw strikes? Its not like it matters if you give up a bunch of hits if at least you’re throwing strikes. Walking 4 guys in a third of an inning just punches you’re ticket back to the minors.
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I just don’t get how it is that none of the young guys ever seems to learn anything whether it be in the minors or majors. Where’s the coaching? It always seems that things they should’ve learned in Little League they’re trying to learn in AAA or bigs. Nothing should have to be learned by that time, only refined.
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Is there anything this organization does well besides raise ticket prices?

What floors me is that the owner goes on and on about his kids inheriting the team.

A.) Totally explains his disinterest in the Dodgers franchise beyond being a wordmark logo he can sponge money from (Just ask the Brooklyn Bagel Co. and anyone who made a “Doyers” shirt pre-2010).

B.) I’ve never, Never, NEVER read ONE QUOTE from the kids about their desire to run the Los Angeles Dodgers.

I’d rather not write about McCourt, but it’s infuriating to read Frank saying every fan he’s spoken to is on his side, and that he doesn’t think many Dodger fans are upset with him.

That’s false to the highest degree. He just doesn’t think of us as Dodger fans, I guess.

There’ve been deposed dictators with more clarity of when to hold ‘em and fold ‘em than Frank McCourt. He has turned Dodger Baseball from a joy to look forward to into a question of whether or not you want to support him by spending almost twice as much as you did 5 years ago to enjoy a ballgame.

Of course he doesn’t care. Frank McCourt was NEVER a Dodger fan. Only an opportunist riding a bubble with all the abandon and grace of Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli jumping the shark on water skis (with similar aftereffects on both franchises, by the way).

I would gladly allow the (NBA Kings owning) Maloof family entrance to Southern California, if Sacramento would take the McCourt family in return. Hey, Arnold survived for the better part of a decade in, as Jay Leno’s Schwarzenegger parodist so eloquently described Sacramento, “Barstow without the glitz”. Why not the McCourts?

If nothing else, they would be hailed as GOLDEN GODS by the World Champion Giants fans in Northern California. If they like being worshiped, admired and powder-puffed, Northern California’s the place to be.

Mainly because knowledgeable Giants fans know that the biggest Dodger Killer of 2010 is sitting in the Dodger Stadium owners’ box.

One thing about the McCourt sons destined to own the franchise some time in the future – they’re reportedly getting big salaries without doing any work to earn them, so you have to admit that Frank is teaching them in his own style. They should be well prepared to suck the franchise dry without caring about the consequences and with complete disregard about the team on the field.

Greetings!
I am back to the Rat race after spending four wonderful days in Camelback Ranch. Yes, the crowds are less than the first year the Dodgers were at Camelback Ranch. The crowds remind me of Vero Beach. Actually I remember seeing more fans at Vero Beach.
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We went to see the Dodgers play at Goodyear Park against the Indians and the crowd was smaller there. To tell you the truth, I thought Sunday for the Opener against the Angels, I would see more fans than the announced crowd.
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Monday, Tommy Lasorda was in uniform signing autographs. Is great to see Tommy taking the time to do that.
OBF, I ran into Dodgerfansince53 on Sunday and then again on Tuesday at Goodyear. He was sitting in the same row we were sitting (first row behind the Dodgers dugout).
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I ran into Roberto too on Saturday and Sunday. Roberto was asked to be the bat boy but his friend (Jason) did it instead. I have not had a chance to post pictures (catching up at work with month-end).
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Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

Josh,
What about giving a female a chance to be a bat girl? Any of us would love the opportunity to do that.
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How about having Justine throwing batting practice to the Dodgers? She has done it against the Indians and the A’s. She will also do it against the Rays. How about Having her do that at the game honoring Christina Taylor Green at Tempe? I am going to see if I can make it back to AZ one more time.
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

Hi Everybody
I’m still waiting for an answer from the Mets about my asking them to have a game with the Dodgers, with the teams in throwback uniforms some day.
I’m starting to think, I never will but at least I asked.

One of the things I liked of what I saw at Camelback Ranch these past few days was seeing more hands on from Mattingly working with his players and Davey Lopes working with the guys and giving them a hard time about the prior blunders. I recorded part of it that when I get a chance I’ll upload. Also Barrajas taking all the catchers to work with him.
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

It was reported that the average age of our team is over 30. Out of the players likely to make the Opening Day roster, only two (Kersh and Kenley Jansen) are under the age of 26. And, it’s not like this is just a veteran team who has grown up playing together for years and years and years. What happened to bringing up our own and letting them have a shot. Andre, Matt and James are left, and out of those three, Andre truly had to work for his position. I am not understanding why Xavier Paul is not being given the same chance. So, it appears we will lose him, and then what? Who will replace Andre and Matt in the outfield when they are gone?

Replacing Andre and Matt? That’s easy, Nells. Ned and his scouting staff have had their eyes on a couple of people all along. Octavio Velez has been quite productive in the Venezuelan Winter League, and Sheity Latrinez was burnig up Puerto Rico this past Fall and Winter. Looking to bring them both to Spring Training next year with the usual high expectations. Velez may have the usual problem of getting a visa to get out of Venezuela, but those are the risks you take when you go after some serious talent.

Since they had AB’s with us last year they should be gurantee those numbers regardless if they make the team but don’t think we need to worry about Velez. I’d still rather have Mitchell played 3rd bases and I think this kid is something special and half of those out could’ve easy been hit.

Its obviously run by MLB. It posts in clean concise order and lets you respond to specific comments. It even lets you rate if you like the comment or not. Is there anyway to look into this? I’m sure everone on here would be eternally greatful.

Albeit its ST, but I think it can be said for the lack of ANY posts, particularly with a night game, that there’s not much enthusiasm for this club.

After a few games I can see why.

I don’t think you have to be a Rhodes Scholar to see that Blake batting second is going to be an unmitigated disaster. Uribe’s about as impressive as a Ned aquisition. (Oh wait, he IS a Ned acquisition.) Thames-Gibbons-Gwynn-Barajas-Navarro… I’ve a feeling that this team on the offensive side will make the ’67 club look like the ’27 Yankees. And as fair as the starting rotation is starting out, I don’t think you’re ever going to mistake it for Koufax, Drysdale, Osteen and Sutton, which is unfortunate because they’d have to pitch that good or better to get a win.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but the only emotion I can muster when I can muster up anything at all for this season is a great deal of contempt for Ned and Frank. They’ve taken a national treasure and made it into a laughing stock. Competition-wise, I’d like to say they’re a AAA team, but that would imply that they’re a team full of youngsters, and they’re not even that. At least with a team of youngsters you could infer that they’d at least have the ability to get better. All this club is, is a collection of castoffs and misfit toys – old broken ones at that. Might as well put a statue of Ned out front the stadium with a plaque that reads, “Give us your tired, your old, your muddled assses.” He can hold up a pen in one hand and an inflated contract in the other. Instead of a crown though it would be a duncecap.

I’d give up altogether and go support the Snakes, save for the guilty pleasure I derive from seeing all the moves that blow-up in Ned’s and Frank’s face.

hey enchanted, I’ll come out and play. I visit the blog every day, but to be honest, there’s nothing really to comment about. Yeah, Frank’s a thief…yeah, Ned’s strictly Junior Varisty…so there we are. I think the Dodgers will be fine. I think they’ll play 10 times harder for Mattingley than they did for Grandpa, and Lopes will light a fire without Bowa’s surliness. Keep the batting order steady until the All-Star break, that’s all I ask. Let ‘em grow into their roles. You know they’ll pitch.

I was driving home late from work during the game, then I stopped at the market, then got home and cooked dinner while listening to the end of the game then Dodger Talk, had dinner than came upstairs to use the computer so no much time. I should be hitting the shower, then get some zzz to get up at 5 AM.
Check the Dusty Baker BBH equiped with toothpics holder. I want it! I can swap with any Dodger BBH (I have dups). Anyone from here live in Cinci?http://crzblue.mlblogs.com

Even though it’s only been a week of Spring Training so far, I hear a giant sucking sound emanating from Camelback and this year’s version of Frank and Ned’s Dodgers.
Lackluster is the kindest word I can ascribe to the overall performance. We have some real duds on this squad, and I can’t wait until they’re washed out to see if we have any hope with those who remain in contention. In my mind Uribe will prove to be this year’s Ned’s folly. Give him credit for putting together the successful World Series stint, but leave it to Ned to convert that into an overpaid three year deal that Frank will have to choke on before even this year is over.

I don’t see anybody playing with real excitement up to this point. I too think that our pitching will be very competitive, but other than Andre, Loney and hopefully Matt there is nobody here who even remotely belongs on a championship level major league club. Many songs from E in the offing for this season, no doubt. The least I’m hoping is that it will provide DS with many EMPTY SEATS.

Actually I have little doubt that Jamie could put together a better front office management group than what Frank has now. You know that at least Ned would be GONE.

You know, this team has played 7 games already this spring and the kindest thing you can say about them is that they haven’t been shutout yet. They have however scored 1 run three times already, which I think is quite indicative of how the offense will “perform” throughout the year. I can easily see this year’s team topping the 17-18 times they got shutout last year, and reaching a full half their games (if not more) scoring 2 or less.

2-3 years back when the club visited Atlanta for a 4 game set I vaguely remember them scoring 1-2 runs the entire series. Opening 4 game set this season against the Gnats… over or under 2 runs for the series? What say you?

Hello Gang!! Hope everyone is having a great week. I’ve enjoyed reading your comments, complaints, and opinions. I’m a little disappointed with our first 7 games but it is only the first week and I will reserve judgement until there is a larger sample size. My lingering fear is that we are tunnel visioning on the PVL’s that are overpaid. Even if they perform at their career levels, there is no upside and it won’t help get the job done. Why should we expect guys like Uribe, Thames, Gibbons, Barahas, Gwynn, etc.. to all of a sudden overachieve when they are already past their prime years. Maybe one will pan out and put up better than career numbers, but its not likely that even half of them will. Wasted money in my opinion. I would rather cultivate our young talent that at least has an upside at a much lower price. Added benefit is that it gives you more flexibility in July to go out an perhaps get a quality player when the need is identified. My biggest beef is going to be if/when this batch of dumpster dregs is underperforming and short sighted, inept management continues to play them because they make more money and they had a good year, 2 or 3 years ago. Perhaps this will change with Mattingly, I hope so!!!! Also, I think we are going to playing alot of very close games and it takes a very good defense to come out on top of those games. I’m very optimistic about our starting pitching, and fairly optimistic about our bullpen. However, the defense scares me. Anyway, have a great day and lets keep hoping for a change of ownership soon!!! EXCELSIOR!!!!!!

Consistent winning and competitiveness in baseball in my opinion comes down to just four things. Very good defense is imperative, don’t walk people, on base percentage, and situational hitting(make constructive outs)!!!

Great posts gentlemen!!! This spring training is not exciting at all. It seems like no one is competing for jobs (boring left field being the exception) so the games are nothing to get worked up over this season so far. So, I am not worrying too much until the season actually begins. Then, I think, we will get a clearer picture of what we really have.

However, high school baseball has been fun so far. My son’s team is 2-0. Michael pitched his first game (6 and 2/3rds innings with 80 pitches) and pitched a 2 hit shutout (5-0).

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